European Parliament

The process of European integration has been marked by constant progress and change ever since the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) was founded in 1952. The ECSC was designed to be the basis for a lasting peace and prosperity for a continent marked, at that time, by deeply divided political and economic systems. Over the years, the number of Member States has more than doubled to embrace 15 nations. The European Union has recently invited new applicant countries to join.


On 2 October 1997 the Heads of State or Government of the Member States signed a new treaty for Europe, the treaty of Amsterdam. It aims to ensure that European Union procedures and policies remain close to citizens` needs and that effective institutions for an enlarged Europe are maintained. In addition, in the field of the common foreign and security policy, provisions have been made to allow the European Union to fulfil its role in international politics.

As the European Union’s responsibilities have broadened, the institutions have grown larger and more numerous. The Parliament is now elected directly and has acquired new powers; the European Court of Auditors has to play an important role of financial control; the European Investment Bank has emerged as a major source of finance for economic development; the Economic and Social Committee has testified to the value of debate and cooperation between the social partners; the Committee of the Regions represents the regional interests in the Union; the Ombudsman is in charge of ensuring good practice in the administration of the Community institutions; and the European Central Bank pursues the main goal of price stability.

The European Parliament is the directly – elected democratic expression of the political will of the peoples of the European Union, the largest multinational Parliament in the world. Representing the 370 million citizens of the Union, its primary objectives are like those of any parliament – to pass good laws and control the executive power. Now more than ever before, it is in a much better position to do both because its responsibilities have been gradually widened and its powers strengthened first by the Single Act of 1987, then by the Treaty on European Union of 1993, and, in 1997, by the Treaty of Amsterdam.

Naturally, the Parliament sees itself as the guardian of the European interest and the defender of the citizens` rights. Individually, or as a group, European citizens have the right to petition the Parliament and can seek redress of their grievances on matters that fall within the European Union’s sphere of responsibility. The Parliament has also appointed an ombudsman, Mr. Jacob Magnus Soderman, to investigate allegations of maladministration brought by citizens.

The European Parliament attaches a high priority to maintaining links with national parliaments through regular meetings between speakers and chairpersons and between parliamentary committees. These contacts are further enlivened by discussion of Union policies in major conclaves knows as ‘parliamentary assizes’.

What is the European Parliament?



The European Parliament is the directly - elected democratic expression of the political will of the peoples of the European Union. Representing 370 million citizens of the Union, its primary objectives are like those of any parliament – to pass good laws and to scrutinize and control the use of executive power. In recent years its responsibilities have been gradually widened and its powers strengthened first by the Single Act of 1987 and then by the Treaty on European Union of 1993. The most important powers of the European Parliament fall into three categories: legislative power, power over the budget, and supervisions of the executive.


Legislative power

Originally, the Treaty of Rome (1957) gave the Parliament only a consultative role, allowing the Commission to propose and the Council of Ministers to decide legislation. Subsequent Treaties have extended Parliament’s influence to amending and even adopting legislation so that the Parliament and Council now share the power of decision in a large number of areas.


Budgetary power

The European Parliament approves the Union’s budget each year. The budgetary procedure allows Parliament to propose modifications and amendments to the Commission’s initial proposals and to the position taken by the Member States in Council. On agricultural spending and costs arising from international agreements the Council has the last word, but on other expenditure – for example, education, social programmes, regional funds, environmental and cultural projects – Parliament decides in close cooperation with the Council.

In exceptional circumstances, the European Parliament has even voted to reject the budget when is wishes have not been adequately respected. Indeed, it is the President of the Parliament who sings the budged into law.


Supervision of the executive

The parliament exercises overall political supervisions of the way the Union’s policies are conducted. Executive power in the Union is shared between the Commission and the Council of Ministers and their representatives appear regularly before Parliament.